A new Health Professions and Occupations Act in British Columbia replaces the Health Professions Act to "streamline the process to regulate new health professions, provide stronger oversight, provide more consistent discipline across the professions, act in the public interest and protect patient care in the province, while also laying the groundwork to further reduce the total number of regulatory colleges.” Counselors and diagnostic and therapeutic professionals will now be regulated. The colleges for dietitians, occupational therapists, opticians, optometrists, physical therapists, psychologists, and speech and hearing professionals will be combined. The colleges for chiropractors, massage therapists, naturopathic physicians, traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncturists will be combined. A new regulatory oversight body and an independent disciplinary tribunal will be created, as well as a reformed complaints process that takes into account cultural safety and humility.
October 26, 2022
October 13, 2022
BC proposes single regulator for lawyers, notaries and paralegals
The British Columbia government has released a proposal to create a single regulator for lawyers, notaries, and--for the first time in BC--paralegals, with the intention of making it easier and more affordable for the public to access legal services and advice. The Ministry of the Attorney General has had meetings with the Law Society of British Columbia, the BC Notaries Association, and the BC Paralegals Association. Key reforms in the intentions paper include a single regulator for all current and future legal service providers that would establish requirements and standards of practice, an election/appointment process to ensure that the board reflects all British Columbians, an adaptable licensing system to respond to the changing legal landscape, a focus on the public interest rather than membership-driven, and culturally safe support within the complaints process.
May 10, 2022
North Carolina considers consolidation and compact participation
The Administrative Procedure Oversight Committee of the North Carolina General Assembly has considered a proposal to consolidate the Acupuncture Licensing Board, the State Board of Examiners of Fee-Based Practicing Pastoral Counselors, and the Board of Athletic Trainers.
The House passed a bill to allow North Carolina to join the Licensed Counselors Interstate Compact. That bill now awaits a hearing in the Senate. A bill was filed in the Senate to join the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, but that bill has not advanced.
March 09, 2022
British Columbia considers consolidating legal professional regulators
The Ministry of the Attorney General in British Columbia has announced proposed changes to the regulatory framework for legal professionals. Under the proposal, regulation of lawyers, notaries, and paralegals would be consolidated under a single statute and a single regulator. A new mandate clarifying the duty to protect the public would be established. Scopes of practice would also be updated and clearly defined. Further details of the proposal are under development in consultation with the Law Society of BC, the Society of Notaries Public of BC, and representatives of the paralegal profession.
September 02, 2021
New licensing laws in effect in Texas
Several laws went into effect September 1 affecting the Texas department of Licensing and Regulation. The TDLR has been extended for 12 years, with the next sunset review scheduled for 2033. Some professions have been deregulated: polygraph examiners, wig stylists and wig salons, and combative sports event coordinator and others. The barbering program and the cosmetology program are combined into a new board. Under SB40 and HB4, telehealth and telemedicine will be allowed for programs administered by TDLR.
May 26, 2021
Minnesota audit recommends changes to cosmetology licensure
A report from the Office of the Legislative Auditor notes that the licensing structure and requirements for cosmetology are overly burdensome and do not contribute to public health or safety. The report recommends creating a specialty license for those who only want to perform hair services, eliminating multiple salon type licenses, and evaluating if cosmetology and barbering should still be regulated separately.
Massachusetts: proposal to move boards under Department of Public Health
A bill, the Act Relative to Licensing Accountability in the Commonwealth, filed by Massachusetts's governor would transfer 13 boards (allied health, allied mental health, chiropractors, dietitians and nutritionists, dispensing opticians, hearing instrument specialists, podiatry, optometry, psychologists, social workers, speech pathology and audiology, health officers, and sanitarians) from the Division of Professional Licensure to the Department of Public Health. The DPL would still include 15 licensing boards, 10 boards within the Office of Public Safety and Inspections, and the Office of Private Occupational School Education. DPL would be renamed Division of Occupational Licensure. The bill also would prohibit Level 3 sex offenders from being licensed by the Division or the Department.
January 27, 2021
Idaho: report on board consolidation progress
The administrator of the newly created Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses in Idaho has given progress report to legislators. He reports that four of the eleven agencies being consolidated are now in temporary office space, with ongoing remodeling and construction for the new Division. Despite relocation and remodeling costs, the report anticipates future cost-savings due to availability of meeting space and reduced lease payments by individual agencies.
September 01, 2020
Final report on BC healthcare regulatory reform
The steering committee has released its final report on reform of the healthcare regulatory system in British Columbia. The proposal would consolidate 20 healthcare regulatory colleges into six and establish a new oversight body to set standards and serve as disciplinary authority across colleges. Members of college boards would no longer be elected but instead appointed through a competency-based process. The report requires approval by the cabinet and legislature before moving forward.
August 18, 2020
British Columbia: architects to move under Professional Governance Act
The Architectural Institute of British Columbia will become the sixth BC regulator to have regulatory functions transitioned to the Professional Governance Act, which was introduced in November 2018. The transition will take place through 2021 or early 2022.
